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Singapore

Once a sleepy fishing village, Singapore has blossomed into an industrial powerhouse with a diverse and surprising character. Sample a plethora of different cuisine in this multicultural capital or feel your wallet get lighter in the glistening malls of Orchard road. No trip is complete without a visit to the iconic Raffles hotel; we recommend sipping a classic Singapore Sling whilst the sun sets.

1/6Singapore is small island city-state with a big reputation for finance, food and innovative architecture

2/6Visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, a beautiful and peaceful complex in the centre of the city reportedly containing a one of Buddha’s teeth

3/6Wander around Singapore’s colourful Little India district and discover the city’s melting pot of cultures

4/6See Singapore’s iconic man-made tree structures at the Supertree Grove in the 101-hectare Gardens by the Bay

5/6Spend a fun-filled evening discovering the plethora of restaurants and bars in Clarke Quay, Singapore’s busiest and most popular quay

Things to do

Just alongside Singapore's central business district there is an oasis filled with flowering trees, green ferns and wafting palms with prodigious leaves. This is the Cloud Forest glasshouse, one of three recently opened public gardens that overlook the glistening Marina Bay. Home to some 130,000 plants found in cooler regions all around the world, its cool, moist conditions are a welcome respite from the arid air – replicating a climate typically 1,000 to 3,500 feet above sea level.

Singaporean streets are increasingly lined with greenery to shelter residents and grateful tourists from the sweltering tropics. If you’ve spotted the verdant bushes and plump boughs draping over office blocks and street corners, it’s all thanks to the efforts of landscaping policies from the local government. Little wonder that the orchid is the national emblem for this garden city of Asia.

Each of the spectacular botanical houses is a showpiece in modern architecture and design. Taking horticulture to dizzying new heights are the garden's 'supertrees': a grove of giant, vertical gardens encircled with exotic ferns, vines and bromeliads that are truly breath-taking when lit up at night. And if you want to understand the multicultural heritage of Singapore, stroll through the colonial-themed heritage gardens, with homages to Indian, Malay and Chinese culture.

(A visit to the Gardens by the Bay will cost $20 for adults and $12 for children, outdoor gardens open 5am – 2am, conservatories 9am – 9pm)

Things to do

Tiong Bahru is Singapore's oldest hipster suburb, with heritage dating right back to the 30's art deco buildings that line its streets. True to its name (Tiong is Hokkien for tombs and bahru is Malay for new) the area has recently been reborn to cater for its trendy residents with artisanal coffee shops, slick design studios and concept eateries.

Key to the re-imagination of the area is serial entrepreneur Cynthia Chua, brainchild of grooming chains The Strip and Browhaus. Her newly opened 40 Hands café is an Australian style coffee joint, selling Fairtrade beans, freshly made sandwiches and squeezed juices.

If you don't fancy a latte, the Tiong Bahru food market on Seng Poh Road is regarded as one of the finest in Singapore. In a city where hawker centres are held in high esteem that's no small boast. Nibble on char siew pau pork buns at Tiong Bahru Pau and shark meat fritters with sticky sauce at 178 Lor Mee. The respected local food guide Makansutra bestowed its "divine" rating on the Hokkein Prawn Noodles stall, as well as Chwee Kueh and Jian Bo Shui Kueh stalls, both of which serve excellent rice cakes.

Things to do

Resorts World Sentosa is a family resort of epic proportions, encompassing Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios theme park, the biggest spa in Asia, 2,000 hotel rooms, and an endless parade of dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

Try to budget a full day for Universal Studios Singapore, and be sure to visit S.E.A. Aquarium, the world’s second-largest aquarium and home to more than 800 species of marine animals. Other popular attractions include Adventure Cove Waterpark, which has a hydro-magnetic coaster; and a wave pool known as Bluewater Bay. For those looking to rest and relax, ESPA, a luxe wellness sanctuary built on 10,000 square metres of lush greenery, is just minutes away.

As for accommodation, options run the gamut from standard hotel rooms, to specialty lodgings such as glass-paneled underwater suites, and treetop lofts perched atop a canopy of native trees.

Things to do

Things to do

We've chosen the must-see highlights of this fantastic city.

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Strangelets

As the name suggests, the store, which moved from its long-standing location in Little India, is full of quirky artefacts, homeware, furniture, jewellery and toys. Looking for antique animal-shaped cushions? Victorian-style moulds? Surfboard table? This is your place.

When you see a line stretching around the corner, you'll know you've reached the Tiong Bahru Bakery. Customers wait patiently for its croissants – regular, almond or chocolate – as well as its freshly baked bread. Noted French chef Gontran Cherrier is behind the venture, along with entrepreneur Cynthia Chua, and although he’s not often on site, two of his trained staff are always on hand. The coffee here is excellent.

With a menu overseen by Ryan Clift, Executive Chef of the renowned Tippling Club, this long, narrow, rustic diner, complete with zinc-tiled ceilings, exposed brick walls and a glass roof out the back, was always going to be a winner. Unlike that of the more experimental Tippling Club, its more centrally based sister restaurant, the menu here is a mix of light fusion dishes (tuna carpaccio with yuzu salad; pan-seared sea bass with sweet potato fries) and comfort food (48-hour-cooked beef cheeks; black forest mousse), a testament to British-born Clift’s roots and his spell in Australia.

Expats and locals – well, at least the fashionable ones – flock to this crazy street in Singapore where art, handicrafts and offbeat fashion flood the shops. With curios such as marcasite jewellery and celadon ceramics, patrons will inevitably take something for the road.

Do

Adventure Cove Waterpark™

Adventure Cove Waterpark™ is an aquatic adventure park designed for visitors of all ages. Feel the adrenaline rush as you zoom down thrilling waterslides, such as Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster. Catch a surf at their wave pool, Bluwater Bay, and snorkel tens of thousands of fish and coral reefs.

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nana & bird

Originally set up as pop-up shop, this boutique soon graduated to opening every weekend. It is now a fully fledged fashion outlet run by two best friends, Georgina Koh and Tan Chiew Ling. Browse its racks, cup of coffee in hand, to find the latest offerings from Australia’s a flat (specialists in ballet slippers), Fabitoria (digital print skirts) and Made By Hand jewellery.

Originally conceived as a "mobile bar" by Taiwanese-American entrepreneur Nick Yen, this place for cocktails has become a permanent feature of Singapore's nightlife. Right in the heart of the Marina, sip and clink while snacking on the revamped tapas menu while enjoying views of Marina Bay.

The Singapore Turf Club is the only horse-racing club in Singapore. Founded in 1842, races and events of all kind are held year-round at the Singapore Racecourse in Kranji. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays are when to see the action.

This 26-hectare, open-concept zoo features some 314 species on display, including the largest captive colony of orangutans in the world. With hidden barriers in naturalistic landscaped settings, the zoo is located on a peninsula that juts out into the Upper Seletar Reservoir.

With its wooden bench and potted plants on the pavement outside, this bookshop, specialising in fiction and literature, looks like a little piece of downtown New York. Inside, it’s packed with novels, picture books, locally produced magazines and stationery. Its canvas tote bags are especially cute.

Go beyond the screen and ride the movies at Universal Studios Singapore. Thrilling rides, shows, and attractions bring your favourite movies and TV shows to life – from Transformers to Sesame Street, Jurassic Park to Shrek.

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Ananda Marga Yoga Society of Singapore

This yoga centre follows the principles of Ananda Marga. Follow the pathway to ananda (bliss) through the teachings of Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, the founder of this spiritual trend. All classes are conducted by experienced and practiced instructors in the discipline.

The café credited with thrusting Tiong Bahru into the hipster limelight, 40 Hands is collaboration between Australian barista Harry Grover and Cynthia Chua. It has the best coffee in Singapore, according to readers of the popular I-S listings magazine.

At Dolphin Island™, you’ll meet the magnificent Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins up close. Its unique programmes give visitors the chance to interact with the dolphins, swim with them, as well as gain a deeper understanding of marine life.

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Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

The 130-hectare Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is an important stopover point for many migratory birds coming from as far as Siberia. With mangrove boardwalks, observation hunts and more, it's a perfect chance to enjoy nature.

This Singaporean-inspired buffet restaurant at the Grand Hyatt conjures up halal-certified satays, beef rendang, laksa and more in copious quantities. Don't forget to make a reservation because you won't get in without one.

At the end of Tiong Poh Road, near the corner of Eng Hoon Street, Drips serves coffee made from locally roasted Graffeo beans. The décor is hipster central - white metro tiles, industrial lighting and mismatched chairs. It’s hard to resist its range of delicious baked tarts, particularly the mandarin and macadamia, raspberry and almond, and the cherry. Alfred Chan, one of the owners, was a former pastry chef at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.

At the world’s second-largest aquarium, you will find more than 100,000 magnificent marine animals of over 800 species, spread out across 49 marine habitats. Don not miss the Open Ocean, with a 36m underwater viewing panel offering glimpses of leopard sharks, mahi-mahi and manta rays.

Please note that for online bookings, infants under two will not occupy their own seat. To book an infant-occupied seat, or if your infant turns two during your trip, please contact your local reservations office.